Park Geun-hye Becomes Prisoner after Serving 4-year Korean Presidency
Chhay Sophal
Seoul (31 March 2017): Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, has been temporarily jailed today over corruption charge during her rule.
Ms Park who was elected in 2012 can stay in custody for at least 20 days before formal charging while her case is heard.
Through Korean TV LIVE broadcasting, Ms Park was walked into a black sedan and escorted to a convoy, heading to a detention facility near Seoul after the Seoul Central District Court granted prosecutors’ request to arrest her while her supporters were waving national flags on the streets and shouted “President Park”.
According to news reports, prosecutors accused Ms Park of colluding with a confidante to extort big businesses, take a bribe from one of the companies and commit other wrongdoing.
In December lawmakers impeached her and the Constitutional Court ruled in March to formally remove her from office.
Park Geun-hye is the second daughter of former Korean President and military general Park Chung-hee who seized power through a coup on May 16, 1961 and led South Korea to dictatorship until his assassination in 1979.
